Remnants of Salvation
by DMenace
Summary: For a seventeen-year-old girl named Sarah, hunting monsters is the only way she knows how to provide for herself and her younger sister. Hearing of a job that could finally pay the overdue bills, she begrudgingly brings her sister along to a city plagued by ghosts and infested by monsters, all for the prospect of fixing a leaky roof and finally leaving the family business for good.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Blood Moon Rising

* * *

Running away from almost certain death had a peculiar way of putting life into perspective. Pain became merely a discomfort, and things once thought precious became trivial. Only your reasons for waking every morning were there for you when facing your end.

 _'Annie...'_

For the figure wearing tattered jeans and a dark hood, every sharp breath burned their lungs. Every step on the wet ground felt as though it could be their last, and so they made each one count more than the one before.

Branches and thorns ripped through flesh leaving behind scarlet stains that went mostly unnoticed. Bursting out of the treeline, the hooded figure's knees threatened to buckle, but they continued sprinting toward the open field where the faint glimmer of the full moon reflected in a dirty windshield.

 _*Aaahhwooo!*_

The ever persistent howl was a reminder that the hunter wasn't alone, and that death wasn't far behind.

They preemptively began flexing the blood coated fingers of their right hand which they had long since lost feeling of, but at least the pain returning meant they were all still attached. With every agonizing step the ugly, rust colored vehicle got that much more beautiful. The figure made a dive for the driver's side window but the thought of driving away was the furthest thing from their mind. They might escape in one piece, mostly, but that would mean going home and admitting defeat to a little girl, and another failed job they simply couldn't afford.

Everything was cold and slick to the touch, but fighting through the numbness they finally found the trunk release and breathlessly raced to the back.

Throwing the heavy trunk open, the figure clad in black gazed at the assortment of potential weapons. Shotguns, rifles, rapiers, crossbows, crowbars, iron chains, and anything they may have needed was here. Just not _exactly_ where they had been last night. The smell of oiled steel meant Annie had _borrowed_ the keys again, and obviously reorganized the supplies to her liking.

Irritated that nothing was sacred anymore, they instinctively reached for a shotgun before hesitating. Six ineffective silver buckshots were the reason they were in this mess, and seriously doubted six or seven more would help matters.

Making up their mind, they instead grabbed a black rapier that felt familiar even in a nearly numb hand.

The trunk slammed shut just as the damp grass behind them rustled, causing the figure to expertly stab empty air. Their breathing slowed as every sense strained in search for the beast. Pain was beginning to be replaced by exhaustion, and time wasn't on the hunter's side. But while blood dribbled from the gold nightingale pommel of the blade, all the they could wonder was if Annie had brushed her teeth and made it to bed on time. That is until they felt hot, sticky breath through the hood and on the back of their neck.

The rapier spun but something feeling like knives tore through their shoulder and sent them flying through the air. They rolled on the ground several yards until they came to a sudden stop. Pushing themself up, the hood fell from their face revealing a dark mess of hair with red highlights and tips that fell just past their eyes.

And their eyes... They glowed crimson in darkness and regarded the blood soaked jacket with disgust.

" _This_ ," she snarled, getting back on her unsteady feet, "was a gift from my uncle."

The teenage girl raised the blade between herself and the disfigured beast standing atop the trunk. How it got there without making a sound she didn't know, and had long since stopped questioning such abnormalities on hunts.

The beast was nearly seven feet tall and with the body of a man, only covered completely in coarse, silver fur. Its arms were too long and gangling looking, and instead of hands it had claws resembling misshapen fingers dripping with blood, which it was busy licking clean with its long tongue. Malicious yellow eyes watched her every shallow breath and flickers of amusement appeared on its large, wolfish face. Blood poured from the gaping hole in its chest and what was left of its heart could be seen. The beast seemed to know it didn't have much time left. It was going to die soon, and only wished to savor its final meal just as it had the chase.

For the young hunter wielding the rapier however, she was just pissed it hadn't died yet. And that it had ruined her favorite jacket. The job was supposed to be easy cash. Everything had gone exactly as she planned, but like usual life had other ideas.

 _'SIX!'_ Her mind screamed as she surveyed the damage done to its chest. Of course she had seen werewolves survive a couple of silver bullets when in a feeding frenzy and their adrenaline was pumping. But _SIX_ silver buckshots to what was at the time a reasonably calm werewolf was absurd.

The beast was spilling blood all over her car and making disturbing sounds as if it were choking, and finally she'd had enough. Her vision was beginning to dim and it was taking both arms and all her strength to keep the blade between them. If it was going to end it needed to end now.

"If you want this body you'll have to get in line." She took a half-step forward, standing up straight with the rapier dangling from her hand. Proper stance be damned.

She smiled weakly and the werewolf needed no invitation. It leaped through the air met the blade in the middle and fell atop the girl. Its teeth wrapped around her neck as its claws sunk into her torso, and warm blood spilled onto her already ruined jacket.

After what felt like an eternity, bright red eyes flickered open and stared straight into the glazed-over yellow of the beast's. Drool ran down her neck, and after several minutes of cursing and careful squirming, she wrenched herself free and rolled the colossal creature over. Kneeling, the rapier slid out of its heart just as easily as it had slid in. A dull glow resonated from the bloodstained blade that matched her eyes, and she regarded the monster's body for only a moment before standing up.

Moving quickly, she pulled the trunk release again and retrieved a gas can. She had no intention of sticking around long enough to find out if the beast had once been human or not. It was easier to let nightmares stay as nightmares rather than consider the alternative. But the clock was ticking, and if she didn't find where her sister had hidden the matches she'd soon find out.

They turned out to be buried under the camping supplies, far away from the gasoline and piles of ammunition, which she admitted was probably a smart idea. By the time she had the body doused in gas, the glow around her blade had faded as had her eyes which were now without a trace of crimson. Now, the left was a dark amber and the right was a dark shade of green.

She tried to avoid looking at the beast's face, but at a glance she saw it no longer appeared quite as wolfish. It had clearly once been a young man, and a handsome one at that. Feeling weak, she knelt down beside him and unzipped her jacket.

"My name is Sarah," she whispered. "and... and I'm so sorry..."

She said the prayer that she had come to memorize after all the years of hunting and covered his face with her favorite jacket before pouring more gasoline. Only when her eyes had dried did she strike the match.

The flames did nothing to fight the bitter chill she felt, and slowly Sarah retreated back to the vehicle. Putting the tools of the trade away she glanced down at the bloodstained rapier, giving it a disgusted look before throwing it as far in the back of the trunk as possible and slamming the lid down.

Stopping at the driver's side door she reached into her front pocket and frowned. Her jeans were torn just like the top she was wearing, and could even see her fingers poking out of the pocket.

With a sigh, Sarah turned toward the dark woods she had emerged from just as the rain began again.

She shook her head almost impressed with herself. "Of course I would drop the damn keys..."

* * *

 **(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. "Remnants of Salvation" has been a story that's been a _long_ time coming and gone through many different revisions over the years, and is very near and dear to my heart. This chapter's purpose was to serve as a prologue of sorts to introduce Sarah, give you an idea of what kind of world she lives in, and of course hopefully get you hooked from the beginning. This story has obvious RWBY and Supernatural influences, however it is a completely original story with an original cast of characters. It's very possible I may include some occasional references and/or allusions, but for the most part "Remnants of Salvation" will try to be its own entity. You will likely see many resemblances between this story and "The Patchwork Prodigy", but please keep in mind that the story/characters of my fanfic are now in an almost entirely different place development wise compared to their show counterpart(s). ****This story will be rated "T" for violence, mild language, and suggestive material.** **If you have any question feel free to ask in a review and/or a PM.**

 **I do now know how frequently this story will be updated. As of right now I have drafts of the first eleven chapters and an overall outline that is still in flux. This is more or less to help me get the ball rolling and hopefully get some feedback on the story. I fully expect to refine this and later chapters over time the more my writing improves, the story evolves, and the characters come more alive. But it will serve as a building block to build from much like "The Petals Scatter Now" and "The Patchwork Prodigy" have.**

 **Speaking of which, I will _NOT_ be abandoning "The Patchwork Prodigy". It will merely become more of a side project as I continue working on "Remnants of Salvation".**

 **I do _NOT_ own Supernatural or RWBY. This is merely a fanfic influenced and inspired by the author's love for both shows and characters. The cover image of a werewolf howling at the moon also does _NOT_ belong to me. It belongs to Dr. Who, specifically from the Series Two Season Two episode "Tooth and Claw".**

 **All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with a love for writing and made this story possible. God bless)**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

My Only Sunshine

* * *

Sarah opened her eyes with a sudden jolt just as she did every morning. Her head raised off the pillow but just as quickly sank back down. Her immediate thought was that she'd been in a car wreck and this must be the hospital as her entire body ached far too much for her to be anywhere else.

She grimaced as something struck her between the eyes, and lashed out blindly at the darkness instantly regretting it. She hugged her right arm to her chest as a series of nonsensical curses left her lips, and even if it hadn't been pitch black Sarah suspected all she would've seen was red due to the burning sensation in her shoulder.

Again she was violently struck, this time on the forehead. However, the assault was cool against her feverish skin and not entirely unpleasant. More gently this time and conscious not to make _any_ sudden moves, she touched her forehead and groaned as realization finally hit.

There had been a steady rain last night, and another leak had decided to appear over her bed as if as a reminder that the roof was in desperate need of repair.

She gave a miserable whimper and threw the sheets over her head wanting nothing more than a couple more hours of blissful unconsciousness. She'd gladly take reliving nightmares over her body's lurid protests and thinking about how the roof was supposed to get repaired when they didn't have the money.

Going over the same pessimistic thoughts she seemed to realize sleep wasn't going to come. They just kept repeating until they felt like their own special kind of nightmare. Living hell...

She needed to get moving, that much Sarah was sure. Her mind was always clearer on the move, and the prospect of finding something edible in the kitchen sounded as invigorating as it did challenging.

The sheets clung to her clammy form as she crawled out of the bed, her bones creaking and popping just as much as the floorboards underneath. If it hadn't been so dark she was fairly certain she would've been able to see her breath in the chilly air, and was both appreciative and rather surprised when she realized she'd gone the extra mile to put on a top and boy shorts after staggering out of the shower last night.

 _'Shower...'_

At least that explained why her hair was damp and plastered against the side of her face, but the thought of soaking in a hot bath almost made her consider turning left down the hall where she would've without a doubt have spent the better part of the day.

More than once she stumbled and nearly lost her balance, but luckily navigating through the minefield of dirty laundry, dishes, and stacks of magazines in the darkened room was much easier than when she came home feeling a _little_ tipsy or woke with a hangover.

She still slammed her face against the door however as it appeared without any warning, and let out a couple of her favorite curses as it was yet more proof that stealth wasn't her forte. Of course the door would creak open, and with light streaming in down the hall she saw the chaos she'd left in her wake last night.

Discarded clothes with dried blood on them led from the stairs all the way to the bathroom. She found her sister's yellow towel in the middle of the hall, along with her ruined jeans and a sock. Making her way toward the stairs she found her ripped shirt resting on the handrail and her bra hanging from a fake potted plant as though it were a Christmas tree. Something she had actually done for real last December in lieu of not having enough ornaments, which went totally unappreciated.

From the top of the stairs she found her boots at the front entryway. It seemed even in her exhausted state last night she'd had enough sense not to track mud through the house. The missing sock was at the bottom along with her work belt, but as try as she might she couldn't locate her underwear. This annoyed her as for some reason Annie didn't particularly appreciate finding her sister's panties laying around the house, and Sarah wasn't too keen on being lectured this morning.

"Let's see how fast _you_ get naked when _you're_ the one covered in dead werewolf blood and soaked in drool, sis," the girl grumbled to herself, already preparing her argument, her witty comeback, and her promise not to do it again. At least until the next time. "I can still feel it on me..." she gagged.

Each step down she took was gradual and slow as the stairs groaned. The wood was cold against her bare feet, and with the light peeking in she could see the dusty house looked as empty as it felt.

Sarah normally didn't meander around the stairs as she preferred getting away from them as quickly as possible. But in not wishing to wake her _hopefully_ still sleeping sister, she couldn't help letting her eyes linger on the bare wall and the patches of the original paint that showed where picture frames had previously been resting for years. She even had to brush her fingers across the spot where one particular photo had rested since before she could remember.

They had been daily reminders of everything they had lost, and after seeing Annie spend sometimes hours just staring blankly at them, she had decided to take every single one of them down and pack them in a box in the room at the end of the hall, the one place her sister wouldn't go looking for them. Annie hadn't said a word when she got home from school that day, and neither of them had talked about putting them back up.

While contemplating whether replacing the family pictures with photos just the two of them was a good idea or not, Sarah forgot to skip the second to last step going down which popped loudly and seemed to echo throughout the house.

She kept her eyes tightly shut, gritting her teeth in hopes if she stayed still long enough then perhaps maybe that would cancel out the sound. She listened for a few moments but when she didn't hear a door slam open or someone come running down the hall she took it as a good sign.

Her feet skipped the bottom step landing rather gracelessly and she turned the corner to turn the heat back on. She didn't care if it meant a slightly higher bill at the end of the month. She was getting paid today and freezing her toes off only strengthened her resolve. But it wasn't like Annie would notice a difference.

"Why didn't I put something warmer on?" she complained, before pointing out to herself she was lucky she'd put on _anything_ last night. "And where are my friggin' slippers hiding..."

When she made it to the kitchen she immediately started the coffee pot but snuck out as it was one of the worst insulated rooms in the house, something their dad had always been meaning to fix. There also wasn't much food to be found, and despite being hungry she knew a free meal fit for royalty was on its way. Cal always made the best burgers and fries for her after a job.

The walls were mostly bare wherever she looked but at least in the living room she found some semblance that someone else actually lived there. The fireplace had been recently gone out, and a couple of blankets as well as a pillow rested on the nearby couch that she vaguely remembered seeing the night before. A pile of old books and newspaper articles were strewn about the coffee table, all research and possible jobs Annie was looking into, and had no doubt been pouring over to feel useful and keep her mind occupied while her sister was hunting.

Most of the articles appeared to be dead ends or paranoid homeowners thinking they were being haunted by the deadliest poltergeist in all of Texas, when in reality it was most likely just rats or old pipes making odd sounds late at night. Or they were just nuts hearing things that weren't there. Still though, Sarah made a mental note as they very well might be the only jobs she'd get.

That brought her back to where she was standing, scowling at her many cuts and bruises and her paler than usual skin. She would need to at least look presentable today, which meant her best pair of black jeans and her favorite v-neck that matched the highlights in her hair, and maybe even her cowgirl boots. It might not exactly be ' _professional'_ in her line of work, but wearing a rapier on your hip with dried werewolf blood tended to earn you people's respect regardless of how much skin you showed or how well your clothes hugged your body. Plus, if she convinced the boss to let her wait tables for a few of hours, she was sure at least _some_ of the guys would show their appreciation when it was time to leave a tip. And without much of an oversoul this morning, she'd need all the help she could get...

Picking up a book that had fallen on the floor, it was as if the blinds had suddenly been opened and the sun that was supposed to be hiding behind rain clouds decided to shine brighter than ever.

An overwhelming sense of worry then relief wrapped around Sarah like a warm, familiar blanket, and just as she turned, gold streaked across the room and collided with her chest, nearly knocking her onto the couch.

"Hey, Annie," she breathed into the blonde mess of hair, the embrace more than worth her discomfort.

"You came back..." sobbed a small voice, sounding almost devoid of emotion due to being overcome by it.

"Of course I did." Sarah ran a hand through her long, silky locks that fell past her shoulders. "I always do, and I always will."

The young girl in yellow pajamas sniffled, and Sarah kissed the back of her head. "Who else was gonna tuck you in last night?"

"Hmm," Annie sighed pleasantly. "Your underwear's in the bathroom sink by the way..."

Sarah chuckled, and the warmth spread throughout her body and she had to close her eyes as the sunlight became too harsh.

"That's enough, sis." She patted her on the back. "I know you're just trying to make me feel better, but honestly I'm fine, and you need to save your strength."

The young teenage girl looked up with violet eyes that were so bright they seemed to glow in the darkness, but soon dimmed as did the sunlight. The warmth that surrounded her was ever present however, along with the feelings of relief that had only gotten stronger and now tickled Sarah's skin.

"Have I ever mentioned that you're the best portable heater ever?" She hugged her tighter.

Annie giggled. "Maybe you should put some clothes on." A disturbing look crossed her face, which with her tiny nose and round cheeks was cute, and with her soul being freely shared, Sarah could effortlessly pick up what she was thinking. "Wait, you weren't naked when you-"

"It took all my willpower but I promise I still had on at least _some_ of my clothes when I carried your sleepyhead upstairs last night. I was even careful not to get any drool on you. You're welcome by the way. And actually, _you're_ to blame for me coming back down and giving me enough time to give the neighbors a strip show instead of heading straight into the shower. God, I can't wait til I can just in the pool after a hunt..."

When all the girl did was raise a puzzled, slightly disturbed brow Sarah pointed with a serious expression. " _Somebody_ fell asleep with a plateful of snacks still on the table. And _somebody_ must've known they are my favorite because they were only _half_ -eaten."

Her sister snorted and wiped something from her eye. "I saw the blood when I came down, wasn't really look for drool though. Was that the werewolf's or-" She paused as she noticed the large gash on Sarah's shoulder, as well as the claw mark on her upper thighs and the many cuts across her body, wearing them on display almost like badges of honor. "Oh my God! Sarah, why didn't you say something?"

She immediately released her and raised a glowing hand but it was pushed away, though with reluctance as it was still a bit chilly despite their close proximity.

"I told you to save your strength, sis." The younger girl prepared her large puppy eyes which were Sarah's greatest weakness. "We're not oversoul matches, and I'd rather not spend the rest of the day puking or sunburned. I'll probably be fine by tomorrow anyway, and no I don't need a blood transfusion or anything.

"You didn't get bit did you?"

Sarah rolled her eyes, though rather humorously as she brought her close again. "We're remnants, sis, in case you've forgotten. It's not like either of us have to worry about becoming werewolves."

" _Legacies_ , not remnants..." Annie didn't lower her hand, only her head in defeat. Already she was out of breath and beginning to sweat, and Sarah knew if she kept it up much longer, using her powers would quickly catch up with her just like it had for herself. And she couldn't bare the thought of a repeat of last time.

Sarah regrettably untangled herself from the embrace and the warm oversoul that was now fading, thankfully, and regarded the younger girl. They were both were skinny, but as Sarah noted, her sister always looked as though she could stand to eat more. She had rare shadows under her eyes this morning, no doubt from staying up late and worrying herself to sleep, and even her dark tan seemed as though it had lightened sometime during the night. But as always her wide smile was bright and her very presence calming. Sarah had deeply contemplated carrying her baby sister back to her own bed last night and sleeping together as they'd done as kids, and still on occasion. But Annie had a habit of sometimes thrashing in her sleep, and after a hunt Sarah could be even worse, though that was what the other girl was there for.

She also couldn't help appreciating how adorable her little sis looked in her yellow Scooby-Doo pajamas, and secretly wished she could stay this cute forever. Sarah was tall, at least for a girl, while Annie being only a couple inches above five feet meant she barely reached her chin, and didn't yet have the many curves she had. That would change in another year or two though when her little sister transformed into a knockout. _'Just like Mom,'_ she always told her, not that Annie seemed to be in a particular hurry about getting the kinds of looks her sister did.

Soon she realized the girl was regarding her under the same sad scrutiny, staring straight into her eyes. "They changed again..." Annie whispered, swallowing a lump in her throat.

Sarah slowly nodded and hid her unease with what she thought was a convincing smile. "Are at least _one_ of them violet this time?" Her sister shook her head. "Dang it! I wanted violet, they're never violet." She sighed before batting her eyelashes. "Well, what color are they today? Please tell me they're at least _close_ to being the same color."

She shook her head. "Sorry. The right's green again, and the left's amber. They're really pretty though, sis."

Her optimism didn't seem contagious. "Thanks. These won't be conspicuous at all..." She looked around the room looking for something to occupy her mind, or at least her sister's. "Find any jobs?"

"Huh?" Sarah pointed at the table covered in newspaper articles. "Oh! Umm, not really." Her shoulders slumped. "That lady with the cat that got stuck in the attic still thinks she has an Echo, and another guy thinks his German Shepard might be possessed."

Sarah laughed which seemed to set her sister at ease, as though she'd been feeling guilty that the lack of jobs was her fault. The mismatched eyes lit up and Annie's body immediately went lax as comfort washed over her.

"Don't worry about it, sis." She stooped down. "Junior will have something. He always does. And I don't care how good Mrs. Ferris thinks her fried spam spaghetti sandwiches are. That cat mauled me worst than any werewolf ever has, and it took me weeks to wash the old lady dust out of my hair."

Annie couldn't help from giggling and a halo appeared around her once again, and Sarah playfully nudged her shoulder. Her eyes no longer glowed, but instead were full of sunshine.

"Besides, this is the first official day of spring break. And I am _NOT_ spending a single day stuck here in Salvation." She rubbed her hands together and licked her lips. "I have an eighteenth birthday coming up which means I'll finally be able to legally drink, and I plan on taking full advantage of it and might even find some guys to help me _celebrate_."

"That's never stopped you before," Annie remarked, her grin a little lopsided. "And what does spring break matter when you haven't gone to school all year?" Despite her tone she did know however, and also that if the next week went according to plan then her big sis would be far too exhausted from work to enjoy a quiet birthday together, or even take advantage of the new drinking age. Or guys for that matter, thankfully...

Sarah seemed to sense what she was thinking and laid a hand atop her shoulder. "Sis, this is gonna be a hard week for the both of us, but I promise I'm gonna get us some money. Don't worry about my birthday, we'll do something special like you want. More importantly though, _you're_ gonna be fourteen soon and-"

"No, Sarah!" She jabbed an accusatory finger into her ribs. "That's not fair! You're not spending money on me when-"

"No buts. Me _big_ sis, you _little_ sis." She tapped her nose and winked before rising. "I'm gonna go shower and get ready. We're gonna need some extra cash so after I get paid I'll ask Junior if I can wait some tables, pour drinks, mop the floor, or _something_." The girl took a deep breath, her weariness beginning to show. "I don't know when I'll be back, but I'd _really_ appreciate it if you'd find all of your big sis' underwear, do laundry and get us packed up. Just grab whatever you think we'll need and lay it by the door. I'll sort through it when I get back, but I'd like to leave tonight if we can."

"I already rearranged the trunk and oiled the chains and rapiers."

"I noticed." She deadpanned, flicking her forehead. "I'll get Cal to make us something good to eat for the road, and bring home whatever supplies we'll need for the trip, and whatever I'll need for the jobs."

"Aren't I-"

"You're coming along on the hunts like I promised, but the most dangerous thing I'm letting you around is a lurking specter. Anything worse and you're staying in the car eating candy like a good little sister while I do the dirty work."

"But I'm older than you were when Mom and Dad took you on your first hunt! And my oversoul's stronger than your's was too!"

"Yeah, but I've also known about the things that go bump in the night since before you were even born," she said not _entirely_ unkindly, crouching down to her sister who had flinched. "None of us wanted this kinda life for you, sis, that's why we didn't tell you about it until we didn't have a choice anymore. And you know full well why they took me on hunts."

Her eyes flickered crimson and Annie looked away sniffling. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be." She pressed their foreheads together. "It's just you and me now, sis. And I won't lose you too..."

Emotions and feelings overlapped until their souls became one and shadows around the room danced, but soon after Sarah pulled away as she felt a strain on the other end and her own legs becoming weak.

"We've still got Uncle Quincy," Annie said slightly out of breath.

"Who we haven't seen or heard from since he left on a job," she sighed. "If the old bird's still alive, he's probably passed out in a ditch somewhere."

"Don't say that!" she shouted, hugging her sister tightly to the point it hurt. "Don't..."

"I'm sorry, but I _can't_ lose you."

"How do you think I feel?" Annie sobbed. "You risk your life to take care us, namely me and I can't even help. I just make everything worse. All I can do is sit, wait, and pray that I won't wake up alone..."

She fell to her knees and Sarah followed her to the ground, maintaining their embrace but releasing her just enough so they could look at each other properly while she played with her hair. "Sis, I swear that I will never leave you. The only reason I make it home after every hunt is because I know who's waiting for me back here. You are the best thing to ever happen to me, and you help your big sis more than you can ever possibly imagine, and so do your prayers."

 _*sniffle*_

Sarah didn't say a word as her sister's soul mingled with her own for how long she wasn't sure, only that she could no longer tell whose feelings were whose anymore, not that it really mattered, and knew what the girl was going to say even before she opened her mouth.

"Promise you'll bring back onion rings?"

She kissed her on the forehead. "I'll even make you a chocolate shake myself, sis..."

* * *

 **(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I'm sure Sarah and Annie's relationship seems pretty familiar for those who've read "The Petals Scatter Now" and "The Patchwork Prodigy" as much of my characterizations of Yang and Ruby and their relationship(s) kinda fed each other. I hope the sisters came off as endearing this chapter, and that they left a good impression on you. The eventual goal is for you to love them as much as they love each other, and I hope this was a good first step forward.**

 **We'll also be learning more about "oversouls" later, but I'll just say they're not really anything like semblances, and are more akin to my fanfics' interpretation of aura rather than canon. It's literally your soul being worn on your sleeve that enhances your physical attributes and reflects who you really are. Annie's gives off sunshine and warmth, but as you can see using your oversoul tires you out very quickly and can be harmful to your body. There also isn't an equivalent of semblances or an "aura shield" in this story. But as you can see the sisters do heal rather quickly and apparently having an oversoul means you can't turn into a werewolf. We'll be exploring this more later, but I wanted to give an explanation to clear up any confusion.**

 **As always, thank you for reading, and for supporting me and this story. All credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story and all of you as well. God bless)**


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Salvation Bar and Grill

* * *

Sarah studied her reflection in the rearview mirror not exactly pleased or impressed by the stranger staring back at her. She looked like hell, but felt even worse. Some small part of her hoped that it might draw some sympathy in the form of tips, but those thoughts were quickly buried.

She'd be without her oversoul today, meaning the subtle allure that followed her and garnered attention wouldn't be making its presence known. Instead, she'd have to rely on her looks and natural charm to get what she wanted. Normally she wouldn't have found this even the slightest problem, but the face staring back at her was having to wear more makeup than she was used to, and her body was uncomfortable and itchy from her many cuts and bruises rubbing against her form fitting clothes.

Not for the first time she wished she was more like the woman that raised her so very long ago. Sarah had never known a more beautiful woman that could be more oblivious or unconcerned about her looks, except perhaps Annie, who she was resembling more by the day. As long as she had lived she'd never had a thing to be modest of, and while Sarah didn't dare put herself on that same pedestal as them, she knew well enough she had little to be modest of herself. Under normal circumstances that is.

Her usual motto of _'If you've got it, flaunt it'_ obviously wouldn't fly today, and once she was done taking inventory of her appearance, Sarah pulled the hood of her black leather jacket down over her face and popped the trunk. She had to roll the window down and open the door from the outside as the handle hadn't worked since the day the junkyard owner from the neighboring town gave it to her as payment for a job, and despite his many promises that he'd get around to get around to fixing it one of these days, it was just another project her father had left for her.

Her boots splashed in a puddle and she shivered as the light mist and wind cut through her. She'd seen wisps of her breath the entire car ride as the heater was something else that didn't work, which was unfortunate seeing how winter was stubborn about letting go of its firm grasp and summer seemed in no hurry. For the past several months it seemed every day had been dreary, a reflection of her mood the past year she supposed.

In the very back she found the black handled rapier with a gold nightingale pommel, and studied the blade carefully for a moment. The dried blood had a strange, unnatural glow that would soon enough be evidence of a job well-done. She was glad the blood was simply reacting to her oversoul since otherwise that'd mean getting the stains out of her clothes even more difficult for her sister, and with a sigh she hooked the rapier to her belt with a fastener and strode through the gravel parking lot that was empty save for a familiar white pickup truck.

The sign atop the tiny brick building was crumbling apart and had faded long before she'd been born. Most of the people in town simply called the place _'Sal's'_ despite there never having been an owner named Sal. It was the only legible part of the sign that she'd been told once read _'Salvation Bar and Grill',_ but she suspected that hadn't been the case for a _very_ long time.

Opening the front door she was greeted by the ringing of a bell and the aroma of a grill that'd been used every day for almost a century. Country music played in the background as she surveyed a dozen empty tables off to the side and a bar directly ahead. Due to its small size they'd had to make use of every inch of the place, giving it a cramped yet quaint setting. And although the place had made its reputation as being the oldest bar in town, which wasn't saying much, it was first and foremost a family burger joint.

The lunch rush hadn't arrived yet meaning the morning drunks had already left and the afternoon drunks hadn't quite wandered in yet, thankfully. She had business to attend to, and most people didn't appreciate her bringing in bloodstained rapiers or openly getting paid for a job they thought was best kept out of sight.

The middle-aged bartender with thinning brown hair had his back to her as he diligently cleaned a glass with what was most likely a dirty rag, and continued cleaning even after her boots came to a stop on the other side of the counter.

"Mix me a drink would ya, Junior." She removed the hood and brushed her hair back.

"Sure," replied a gruff voice with a thick accent. "What'll it be, sweetheart?"

"Whiskey," she purred.

The burly man turned, his sea-green eyes lighting up with what may have been relief to see her, before quickly being hidden behind indifference.

"No can do, kiddo. You've still got another week 'til you're eighteen."

"Since when has that mattered?"

"Since you've taken up calling me _Junior_. Your parents were the only ones that could get away with it, and only because Ellie was cute when she did it."

"Yeah well, they're not around anymore so someone's got to keep you in line." She frowned as something occurred to her. "Are you saying that I'm _not_ cute?"

She pouted with her hips to the side while he shook his head clearly not wanting anything to do with this particular conversation. "My son would have a thing or two to say about that, unless he choked on his tongue of course. And hell, I haven't been able to say no to you since you sitting in a highchair and playing outback with Cal."

He removed a shot glass from behind the counter and poured a dark liquid before passing it across. "Call it an early birthday present. I'm not gonna be seeing for it anyway."

Before the glass could touch her lips, Junior poured one for himself and raised it almost as a toast. The glasses clanged together but it was only with reluctance that she knocked her head back.

"And why's that?" she asked, the liquid warming her insides but otherwise not having much effect. "You got another job for me?"

"Depends. You finish up last night?"

With a crooked grin, Sarah freed the rapier from her belt and laid it atop the counter.

He let out a curse as he leaned back, instinctively grabbing another rag.

"One hundred percent werewolf blood," she announced. "It'll even glow in the dark for another night or two."

The bartender studied the blade with revulsion that bordered on outrage, and his expression only worsened when he looked up to see her looking bored. He briefly noted her uncharacteristic jeans and jacket in his establishment, before stopping on her face, probably noticing the makeup that she rarely wore, or needed, but without a doubt saw that her eyes had changed colors yet again.

"Did it ever occur to you to shoot the damn thing?" he snapped. "If you ran at it with nothing more than your good for nothing uncle's rapier, I swear-"

"-that you'll never give me another job again." She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Been there done that, and I know you're bluffing."

She went to retrieve the blade but a large hand grabbed her by the arm.

"Sarah." He stared down at her looking more disappointed than he did angry. "You're all your sister's got. Maybe you should think about her the next time you try to get yourself killed."

Her jaw set and she roughly pulled away from his grasp, her sudden strength and flickering of her eyes to crimson not even surprising him.

"Annie _is_ all I ever think about," she snapped. "And for your information, I shot the damn thing six times with silver buckshot, and all that did was piss it off. But like usual I had everything completely under control."

He huffed as though she had made a crude joke, but reaching under the counter, he retrieved a tan envelope that he waved in front of her before tossing over.

"Next time just pull out the left canine like everyone else."

Not listening, she peered inside and frowned. "I risked becoming puppy chow for this?"

He shrugged. "You knew how much the bounty paid when you took it."

Sarah quickly stuffed the envelope into her jacket without another word. She remembered how much it was supposed to pay, but like usual thought she saw a couple of extra bills in there.

"Thanks, Caleb..." she barely whispered.

The bartender pretended not to hear as he went back to meticulously wiping down an already spotless glass. "Do you know if it was once human or an alpha?

"I... I don't know."

"Sarah," he sighed. "You know better than that."

"Alright fine!" She violently stuck the rapier back to her belt. "Male. Caucasian. Six foot something inches. Dark hair. Early thirties."

"Which means he has a sire somewhere out there. Good work. I'll look into missing people's reports see if he turns up or where he may have gotten bit. I might even have another job for you next full moon."

"Don't thank me." Sarah lowered her head. "He started changing back before I could burn the body."

He set the glass and rag down. "Sorry. You alright, kiddo?"

She nodded absently. "Sure..."

"How's Annabeth doing since getting out of the hospital?" he asked softly.

Her lip twitched. "Annie's... better. The last of the burns healed a week or so ago, but she still gets out of breath and hasn't gotten over being sick. She's excited about going on her first hunt though. It's probably the _only_ thing she had to look forward to the last couple of months to be honest, but she doesn't know what she's about to get into."

"And the old crow?"

"Still haven't heard from him." Sarah's eyes fell to the nightingale pommel which she brushed tenderly. "And that was a couple weeks before her accident..."

They were both silent afterward. Junior poured them both another drink, but Sarah knocked her's back before he could raise a toast.

"You're as good a huntress as I've seen and maybe even better than your parents when they were your age. That's why you should get out while you still can."

She pressed a hand to her chest crinkling the envelope. "If I could get something better than werewolves and lurkers then maybe I could take an early retirement."

The large man nodded. "Well, maybe I can help you with that."

He reached under the counter and retrieved a large three ringed binder stuffed with papers, but she refused to let herself feel the same excitement as she had as a naive child.

"Oh, something from the illustrious _huntsmen_ themselves. What is it this time, glorified babysitting?"

"You're not far off actually," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

As she contemplated whether she should be worried or not, the bartender removed a handful of pristine papers that had obviously just been received as nothing had been spilled on them yet.

Sarah took a look at the various jobs, appreciating how _official_ they all looked compared to the newspaper articles, help wanted ads, occasional internet forums, as well as the contracts she'd written up on yellow legal pads, but frowned when she saw the payments.

"You've gotta be kidding me." She glanced up. "I could make more money with actual babysitting and only have half the scars."

"It's not just about the payments. Look at the location."

She continued reading, flipping through several of the pages to see if they all matched. "Ashwood. Is that supposed to mean something?"

"They've had an outbreak in monsters, Echos, and you name it the past couple years, and it's about to get even worse. It's about a day's drive from here if you hurry. Thought you might be interested."

"It's a slap to the face is what it is." She waved the papers in front of him. "These are _official_ jobs for _registered_ hunters. Either the government or some freelancers already established there will pick them up, and anything left isn't going to be worth the gas money spent getting there." She decidedly left out her uncertainty in whether the car could make it there, much less make it back.

"Except..." he drawled. "All state _huntsmen_ are being pulled out to make room for Rigel Academy students. A few are even coming from Orion across the pond from what I hear."

"Wait what!? They're leaving the city in the hands of a bunch of idiot kids?"

"Like yourself?"

"They wouldn't know a lesser werewolf from an alpha if it bit 'em in the ass. All for what, training?"

Junior swallowed before nodding. "As the schools and governments see it, they have to learn somehow."

"People. Will. Die," she hissed. "Innocent people, and those kids aren't much older than Annie."

"Or much younger than you, Sarah. Which is why it might be in your best interest to go. There aren't many legacies like you in Texas, or the country for that matter, and if there's about to be a shortage of huntsmen that means civilians are going to die. But more importantly for you, that means more jobs."

She licked her lips. "I can't. Not unless you've got something better." His eye twitched. "You do, don't you."

Letting out a deep breath, he pulled out dozens of papers from behind the counter and laid them atop her already considerable stack. "One of my contacts got these to me a little early. Most of them won't go into effect until tomorrow or the day after. There's over thirty monster bounties and a couple hundred low risk jobs you could even take Annie on. Cursed objects, unexplainable paranormal events in broad daylight, you name it."

Sarah was taken aback by the sheer scope of the city's situation, but mostly what she was seeing were dollar signs, and corpses...

"The highest paying jobs will be picked up by the academies of course, or any local huntsmen, but you wouldn't be able to handle them by yourself anyway. Or at least in a reasonable amount of time," he added, seeing the mutinous look on her face. "As long as the job gets done most people won't care that you don't have a license or the credentials, and you'd be cheaper too. And like usual, use me as a reference and I'll put in a good word for ya."

She continued glancing through jobs. They each seemed to be more varied than the one before, but in truth is was the payouts she was studying. If she could just knock out a couple a day for a week there'd be enough to put food on the table, pay for the roof repairs, and maybe even put a couple of medical bills to rest. Along with everything that was overdue.

"This many jobs." She shook her head. "I was in New Orleans when they had that outbreak of specters just in time for Mardi Gras, and San Antonio when everyone buried in an old cemetery popped out of the ground to say hi, but that's nothing compared to this."

" _This_ is getting to be everywhere, kiddo. Those huntsmen got other places to be, and between you and me, Ashwood probably won't be around in another couple more years. To me it sounds like it's being used to train the next generation of huntsmen. The AWE even went and built a hotel there, and I heard through the grapevine that some of the board members' bratty kids, Orion students of course, will be staying there this week."

" _Always Winter Enterprise_?" She blinked. "Let me guess, they saw how many hunters were coming and going, and how many people were losing their homes and started construction that day."

"Bingo. That's one way to get your money back when you're the academies' biggest sponsor. And technically Orion's founder I guess. Wherever there are monsters, the _real_ monsters in suits and ties aren't far behind. Uh, just don't let them know I said that. And hey, while you're there, it wouldn't hurt if you tried to rub shoulders with some of those students."

She smiled not so innocently. "Are you suggesting that we rub more than _just_ shoulders?"

"What I _want_ is for you and your sister to be alright, so in a manner of speaking, yes. Do what you gotta do. If an overseer saw you in action they'd want you enrolled in their academy immediately, and those rich boys would want you there even quicker if you _persuaded_ them with your oversoul like you do my customers. Then when you finally get yourself killed, at least your sister would be taken care of for the rest of her life. Or hell, if one of them wants to take you back to England and set y'all up all nice and comfy, even better."

Sarah glanced down at the papers again, a knot forming in her stomach. "Rubbing _shoulders_ with a rich boy or two could make for a fun birthday. I'll take the job."

He nodded and pulled out a folder, adding more and more papers to her own. "I'll get you a dossier on the city, and everything else I've got. What's plan now?"

She let out a breath, trying to figure that out herself. "Right now, well, Annie's gonna be busy for the next couple hours getting everything ready to leave tonight. And I was kinda hoping that maybe I could-"

"Tell ya what", he interrupted her stammer. "The lunch rush will be starting soon. Go put an apron on and you can wait tables or work the bar if you'd like. Cal's in the back. Tell him to make you something to eat, and something for you and Annie when you leave."

"Thanks, Caleb..." she murmured, averting her eyes. "I... We owe-"

"Just call us even. It's the least I can do for you girls."

She wanted to argue, but nodded in thanks as settling a debt was much easier to swallow than accepting charity.

"I'll go see how Junior, Jr's. doing. And see if I can't make him choke on his tongue a bit."

He laughed as she went, but out of the corner of her eye, she could see a worried expression that she tried her best to ignore.

"Hey, Sarah," he called. "If you or your sister ever need anything, anything at all, all you have to do is ask."

Her throat closed up and she hastily pushed the door to the back open, shrugging off her jacket and rapier as she went, and throwing them as far as possible not looking to see where they'd land.

A girlish scream came from across the room, and she half turning to see a wiry boy about her age scurrying away from the blade that had landed on the counter beside him.

"Sorry, Cal. Didn't see you there." Sarah's back was turned so as not to show her grin as she imagined his wide sea-green eyes.

"Are you crazy!?"

"It's just dried werewolf blood," she said tying on an apron.

"I was more worried about getting skewered!

She let out a little laughed. "There's enough of my soul still resonating with the blade that it can't cut anything I don't want it to. Including the burger that you're about to make for me."

Finally facing him, the boy with messy brown hair looked down at the rapier, noticing how the blood glowed slightly. He reached down as if to touch it, but paused as something caused the hairs on his arm to stand up. Cal smiled fondly, an almost vacant expression on his face, and she could tell he was enjoying the odd sensation that no one without an oversoul quite understood or really got used to. She'd seen that effect on people all her life, though admittedly, they weren't normally aware how intimate the source was or the cause for the sensation they could never quite put their finger on, or why the girl with red highlights always seemed to draw some kind of emotion out of them just by being near.

He looked up and his smile disappeared, partially. "Werewolf?"

"Yep. Burger please. Preferably rare."

"Were you scared?"

"Of course not," she snorted. "Was I scared when I killed the last three by myself?"

He blinked, waiting for her to continue.

"Okay," she shrugged, looking as though she were pinching the air. "Maybe a little. Maybe a lot..."

"Who could blame y-"

"I shot the damn thing six times and it still ran me down!"

"Six?" he asked, unsure if he had heard correctly.

She held up that many fingers. "Then I dropped the keys and wound up having to backtrack through the woods. But I did find my shotgun that'd I'd thrown at its head so it wasn't a complete waste."

"I should've gone with you." He looked away, seemingly upset with himself.

Sarah gave him a dark look which he ignored. "You'd be dead, Cal."

"No I wouldn't." He glared at her, then noticed her attire. "If you had some help maybe you wouldn't have gotten scratched up, or worse..."

She glanced down at her jeans and long sleeve shirt that she'd left unbuttoned at the top. "It's chilly outside." Far too chilly for her favorite v-neck, which she hadn't been able to find regardless. Hopefully Annie had better luck.

"I've seen you and your sister go swimming in winter."

"That was little miss sunshine. I never _actually_ got in the water."

"Your oversoul's down, Sarah. And your eyes changed again..."

"Alright." She shrugged, playing it off as no big deal. "So I might've gotten a scratch or two, and maybe a couple of love bites. But I promise that's all. You just wanted to see me in shorts today didn't you?"

He swallowed, his normally kind face fiery. "And let me guess. My dad's got another crazy job for you?"

Sarah nodded, it seemed he wasn't in a teasing mood. "Pays good too."

"Let me come with you."

"Cal," she exasperated, " _Annie_ would be a bigger help than you. No offense, but you'd just be in the way."

"What about the time I helped you get rid of that poltergeist last year?"

"That was just a specter. If it had been a poltergeist, we'd both be dead and some licensed hunter would've fattened his wallet with twice as much as I would've gotten. The only reason I asked you to come along was because I needed someone to carry my gear up three flights of stairs, hold the flashlight, try not to stare at my backside while I poked around the scary haunted house, and not wet themself when things start getting weird. Which you only did three out of the four."

"I told you it was just holy water, which I spilled trying to save your life."

"So you admit you were checking me out when you thought I wasn't looking." She smiled as his face brightened a little. "And holy water doesn't work on Echos. Every hunter knows that."

"I'm not a huntsmen. As you and my parents like to keep reminding me, I'm a _'huntsman coordinator'_ like dad," he said in a mocking tone. "Or will be anyway, so you could've said _something_ at the time."

"Couldn't. I was too busy laugh at you being all brave and macho for me. But of course then you had to ruin _my_ triumphant moment of getting rid of it by dousing me too, which wouldn't have been so bad if I hadn't wasted most of my oversoul saving your ass and it hadn't been November and freezing. But then again, we also wouldn't have had to cuddle next to the fire to stay warm, and you would've have gotten up close and _personal_ with what was left of my oversoul. If I didn't know better, Cal, I would've thought you did it on purpose..."

The scarlet faced boy tried to speak but his tongue got in the way, causing her to chuckle for something was lifted off her shoulders.

"Look, I ought to start looking busy. Your dad's probably worried that I'm taking advantage of his son back here." She glanced at the grill. "Food please."

He turned but looked back at her with a more serious expression. "I think he's more worried about the other way around..."

Sarah frowned as she knew why he'd think that, but did her best to smile for him. She had jokingly said as much several months ago when they began noticing his dad keeping a close eye on them, not long after her life had gone to hell. She still didn't really know how she should feel about that, and wished she had just kept her mouth shut for his Cal's sake. She liked it better when she could believe it was just her reputation with guys that made his parents concerned.

She hopped up on the counter and flared her oversoul as much as she could afford. Cal naturally drew closer as though his body moved on its own, and she kept him away with a boot pressed against his chest.

"You're a really great guy, Cal," Sarah said, swallowing the lump in her throat. "You really are. And after I lost Dad..." She paused to fight the stinging sensation in her eyes. "You helped me when I _really_ needed someone, like that night when I _needed_ someone with me on a hunt, but you deserve someone a lot better than me. And just so you know-"

She hopped down and moved so their lips were almost touching, him having to tilt his head ever so slightly to look her in her mismatched eyes. "You couldn't take advantage of me if you tried..."

Faster than he could blink, the rapier was in her hands with the blade at his throat. He hardly seemed surprised, but the boy still marveled at how fast she could move, and finally grinned as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and the odd sensation returned stronger than it had before. He could almost hear her voice before she even spoke.

"Now are you going to cook me breakfast or not?"

* * *

 **(A/N: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed. I hope Sarah's character as well as her story is coming alive for you, and I hope you enjoyed _Junior_ and _Junior, Jr._ I've had those characters in my mind for such a LONG time and it's nice to finally share them with you. I do want to say though, Junior/Caleb's name didn't actually come from RWBY. More or less it was just a happy coincidence. Cal has been a lot of fun to create, and how serious his relationship with Sarah is kinda your's to decide, at least for the moment. I hope their interaction was fun at least, and helped flesh out Sarah's character. Thank you for reading and supporting this story as I can't tell you how much that means to me. As always, all credit goes to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who has blessed me with this story as well as wonderful readers like yourselves. God bless)**


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